Reading the Ruins of Gorlan
by Coco Cheesecake-XD
Summary: Hi this is my first fanfic, so be a bit easy. Basically the characters of Rangers Apprentice are reading Rangers Apprentice
1. Chapter 1

**Hello this is my first story on fanfiction. Basically the characters from Ranger's Apprentice are going to read Rangers Apprentice. Read and Review! **

**Disclaimer: I dont own anything **

Chapter 1

Halt sighed as he closed his pack. "And we are doing this why?" He asked his wife as she came into their bedroom.

"Because our king sent us a letter asking us to come. _I _don't want to be banished but then again, you have some experience with that," she said hiding a smile.

Halt growled. "I did get back my pupil you know."

"I know, and I think that is one of the main reasons the king let you come back … early." She said. Halt smiled.

"Are you two done packing?" Alyss asked politely. She was also received a letter asking to come to the castle immediately. After they had come back from Ni-hon Ja, they stayed at Castle Araluen for the wedding of Horace and Cassandra. When they came back, Alyss decided that she wanted to stay with Halt and Pauline. She offered to do the house work, but they took her in happily without her having to do anything.

Halt hissed her forehead. "Yes, you eager to go because you are going to see Will aren't you?

"No! What makes you think that?" She said a little too quickly, although there was a slight blush on her cheeks.

They saddled their packs on the horses. Halt spoke softly to his horse in Gallic and gave him an apple. Alyss got on her horse Coco and Pauline got on Sugar.

**Well i hope you like it so far. All types of reviews are excepted. Even a smiley or frowny face works for me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello. I am sooo sorry. i could not update because my school has been giving us a lot of work, but i finally got the chance to update. So without any further ado, Chapter two!**

Chapter 2

"Hey Alyss," Will said, hugging his girlfriend.

"Hey, how are you?" She asked, returning the hug. Coco went to Tug and snorted shy fully, as if to say "Hey what's going on?" Will could swear he saw Tug go pink (if that was possible with horses!) and snorted back.

'Ah, young love. Some with young, annoying, teenagers, other with horses." Halt managed to keep a straight face while saying this.

"Well at least we know that live is possible among human and beast. Human for us and beast for you!" Will said very cheerfully. Halt growled.

"Shut up." He muttered.

_~Ranger's Apprentice! Ranger's Apprentice!~_

On their way, they met with Gilan and Crowley. Together they made their way to Castle Araluen. The tall castle came into view before they even made to the grounds. When they reached their, they saw Horace leading the military army. He refused to have any other military general lead the army even though he was married to the Royal Princess Cassandra.

"Hey Horace!" Will yelled to his best friend. Horace came and slapped the backs of his friend and hugged Alyss and Pauline.

"How is Cassandra? Will told me she is pregnant, "Halt said, "Congratulations."

'Thanks! She is expecting the baby in another month and a half!" Horace said very enthusiastically.

Inside the castle, everybody was busy. Servants were bustling around carrying dishes of various foods, or were cleaning the place, making sure the place is spick and span. Others were decorating.

Finally after much walk, they arrived at the King's office. When they entered, they saw Baron Arald, Battle master Rodney, and Master Chubbs and Jenny. They all nodded in polite greeting.

King Duncan was sitting on his mahogany chair. His office was comfortable and a little fancy, but not by much. There were sofas in the middle with a big coffee table and bookshelves all over. The king was a stout middle-aged man with blond hair and green eyes. **(A/N: In book two King Duncan had green eyes and in book three he had blue eyes but I picture him with green eyes.) **"How are you all today?"

"Good milord… fine Your Highness."

"Good, good, come sit."

'My Lord, why have you called us all? Is there any threats or danger in the kingdom?" Pauline asked politely as she sat on a couch for two with her husband.

"I have received a letter, Pauline, along with aw set of books. In the letter it gave me instructions to bring you all here and read the set of books. Apparently, it is about Will and all of his adventures." The King smiled.

"Me? Why me?" Will asked incredulously.

"I haven't the faintest idea. It said that reading the series was important."

"Well, then, let's get started."

"Wait!" Master Chubbs said. "I can't read without having something to eat!"

The king smiled. "Of course. Please forgive me. Mary, go get the books on my nightstand and bring refreshments and coffee as well!"

Mary came in with another maid. She nodded in polite greeting and set down the tray of coffee and biscuits. The other maid set down a stack of books.

"Um, Mary, can you please bring me a jar of honey?" Will asked.

"A _big _jar, Mary, a _big _jar." Halt added. Jenny giggled.

King Duncan was looking through the books. 'Aha! Here it is. The first book; _The Ruins of Gorlan _… by John Flanagan? Who the devil is he?"

They all shrugged.

"Ruins of Gorlan?" Will spoke now. "Aren't those the ruins which we passed by to get to the Kalkara?" He asked Halt.

Halt nodded scratching his beard. "Yes. Those are the Ruins of Gorlan. Perhaps this is about your years with me as an apprentice?"

"I sure hope not. Some of the things you did to me were so embarrassing that I still have nightmares about them." Will shuddered.

Halt gave him a murderous look. "Then I have done my part." He said dangerously. Pauline smiled and grabbed her husband's hand.

"But how does this person know everything? How can they know my thoughts? Is this John Flanagan a stalker?" Will asked.

Halt rolled his eyes to heaven. "God help us all."

They heard a knock on the door. Mary came in holding a big jar of honey and set it on the table. Halt snatched it before Will could and put in 2 spoonfuls of honey. Then he decided to add one more. Pauline had a tolerant smile. Crowley just shook his head.

Will and Gilan did the same.

Pauline grabbed the book. She opened it and flipped through a couple of pages. "Should we read the prologue? From what I have read, it is about Morgarath and how he is planning to use the Kalkara."

"No. What is done is done. The Kalkara and Morgarath along with his people are gone. plus, I don't want to talk or listen about that traitor anymore."

"Alright then. I'll read first. Chapter 1…"

**Well I hope you liked it. Please if you have any suggestions or if you found any mistakes, please let me know. Just read and review! :) **


	3. Chapter 3

_**I am so sorry. I have not updated since forever because i was really busy and then when i finally had it all typed up, my computer broke down. so really sorry. This story is dedicated to TheBookStargazer and to PeaceLOVEHershey. Here is chapter three.**_

**_Disclaimer_**_**: i dont own anything.**_

Chapter 3

** "Try to eat something, Will. Tomorrow's a big day, after all."**

** Jenny, blond, pretty and cheerful;, gestured toward Will's barely touched plate and smiled encouragingly at him. Will made an attempt to return the smile, but it was a dismal failure. He picked at the plate before him, piled high with his favorite foods. Tonight, his stomach knotted tight with tension and anticipation, he could hardly bring himself to swallow a bite. **

Will shook his head. "Wow, I was nervous that day…"

**Tomorrow would be a big day, he knew. He knew it all too well. in fact. Tomorrow would be the biggest day in his life. **

** "Nerves, I imagine," said George, setting down his loaded fork and seizing the lapels of his jacket in a judicious manner. He was a thin, gangly, and studious boy, fascinated by rules and regulations and with a penchant for examining and debating both sides of any question- sometimes at great length, "Dreadful; thing, nervousness It can freeze you up so you can't think, can't eat, can't speak."**

"Was George always like that; rambling on and on," Cassandra asked.

'No actually, George used to be really quite. I know it's hard to believe, but he was really quite. It was Scribeschool that really changed him." Horace smiled.

**"I'm not nervous," Will said quickly, noticing that Horace had looked up, ready to form a sarcastic comment.**

**George nodded several times, considering Will's statement. "On the other hand," he added, "a little nervousness can actually improve performance. It can heighten your perceptions and sharpen your reactions. So, the fact that you are worried, if, in fact you are, is not necessarily something to be worried about, of itself – so to speak."**

** In spite of himself, a wry smile touched Will's mouth. George would be a natural in the legal profession, he thought, He would most certainly be the Scribemaster's choice on the following morning. Perhaps, Will thought, that was at the heart of his own problem. He was the only one of the wardmates who had fears about the Choosing that would take place within twelve hours.**

** "He ought to be nervous!" Horace scoffed. "After all, which Craftmaster is going to want him as an apprentice?"**

Cassandra frowned. "That is not a nice thing to say to your friends. I know you both joke around a lot, but that was mean." She said looking at Horace.

Jenny giggled. "Horace, you didn't tell her?" Horace shook his head shamefully. She laughed. "You see, Cassandra, when Horace and Will were in the Ward, they were not exactly best of friends like they are now. In fact, they literally hated each other. It was only later that they became friends."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "So who was meaner?"

Will quickly said, 'Horace. Horace was _so_ much more mean than me. He used to beat me up all the time and make fun of me. I still have some of the scars…" He managed to stay that with a straight face.

Horace looked at him incredulously. "You were more mean! Some of the things you said still hurt me today!"

"Alright boys, we will find out whose more mean, as we are reading the book." Lady Pauline said diplomatically.

**"I'm sure we're all nervous," Alyss said. She directed one of her rare smiles at Will. "We'd be stupid not to be."**

** "Well, I'm not!" Horace said, and then reddened as Alyss raised one eyebrow and Jenny giggled.**

** It was typical of Alyss, Will thought. He knew that the tall, graceful girl had already been promised a place as an apprentice by Lady Pauline, head of Castle Redmont's Diplomatic Service. Her pretense that she was nervous about the following day, and her tact in refraining from pointing out Horace's gaffe, showed that she was already a diplomat of some skill.**

Lady Pauline smiled at Alyss then returned to her reading.

**Jenny, of course, would gravitate immediately to the castle kitchens, domain o Mater Chubb, Redmont's head chef. He was a man renowned throughout the kingdom for the banquets served in the castle's massive dining hall. jenny loved food and cooking, and her easygoing nature and unfailing good humor would make her an invaluable staff member in the turmoil of the castle kitchens. **

** Battleschool would be Horace's choice. Will glanced at his wardmate now, hungrily tucking into the roast turkey, ham and potatoes that he had leaped onto his plate.**

Halt shook his head. "If you could eat all that when you were young, I wonder how much you can eat now."

Horace pouted. "I don't eat that much now. And I'm not fat! It's muscle!" Cassandra squeezed her husband's shoulder.

** Horace was big for his age and a natural athlete. The chances that he would be refused were virtually nonexistent. Horace was exactly the type of recruit that Sir Rodney looked for in his warrior apprentices. Strong, athletic, fit. And, thought Will a trifle sourly, not too bright. Battleschool was the path to knighthood for boys like Horace – born commoners but with the physical abilities to serve as knights of the kingdom. **

"That is not true!" Horace exclaimed pointing a finger accusingly at Will. "Battleschool students _are_ smart. Just because you are a Ranger does not mean only you have to be smart!"

"Oh yeah, well can you say that for all the Battleschool students. Because I can day that all Rangers were smart. and I wasn't even a Ranger at that time." Will retorted.

Horace glared daggers at him.

"Boys, why don't we settle this later. I want to finish the chapter and go to asleep. So no more squabbling." Lady Pauline said.

**Which left Will. What would his choice be? More importantly, as Horace had pointed out, what Craftmaster would accept him as an apprentice?**

** For Choosing Day was the pivotal point in the life of the castle wards. They were orphan children raised by the generosity of Baron Arald, the Lord of Redmont Fief. For the most part, their parents had died in the service of the fief, and the Baron saw it as his responsibility to care and raise the children of his former subjects – and to give them an opportunity to improve their station in life wherever possible.**

** Choosing Day provided that opportunity.**

** Each year, castle wards turning fifteen could apply to be apprenticed to the masters of the various crafts that served the castle and its people. Ordinarily, craft apprentices were selected by dint of their parent's occupation or influence with the Craftmaster. The castle wards usually had no such influence and that was their last chance to win a future for themselves.**

** Those wards who weren't chosen, or for whom no openings could be found, would be assigned to farming families in the nearby village, providing farm labor to raise the crops and animals that fed the castle inhabitants. It was rare for this to happen, Will knew. The Baron and his Craftmasters usually went out of their way to fit the wards into one craft or another. But it could happen and it was a fate he feared more than anything. **

The Baron of Redmont nodded. "Expected. A lot of people fear this, but they always got picked. Only they were not as … difficult as you..." The Baron finished uncertainly. Will glared at him.

**Horace caught his eye now and gave him a smug smile**

** "Still planning on applying foe Battleschool, Will?" he asked through a mouthful of turkey and potatoes. "Better eat something then. You'll need to build yourself up a little."**

Cassandra hit Horace's arm. He yelped out of pain. "_I wasn't mean?" _That was pretty mean to me. I think me and you need to have a talk."

Will found it difficult to stifle a giggle.

Cassandra glared at him. "I will talk to you too."

"No sweetie, see we became friends. We became nicer to each other. It is okay, and besides you should not stress yourself. It isn't good for you or the baby."

Pauline went back to the book.

**He snorted with laughter and Will glowered at him. A few weeks previously, Horace had overheard Will confiding to Alyss that he desperately wanted to be selected for Battleschool, and he had Will's life a misery ever since, pointing out on every possible occasion that Will's slight build was totally unsuited for the rigors of Battleschool training.**

** The fact that Horace was probably right only made matters worse. Where Horace was tall and muscular, Will was small and wiry. He was agile and fast and surprisingly strong, but he simply didn't have the size that he knew was required of Battleschool apprentices. he'd hoped against hope for the past few years that he would have what people called his "growing spurt" before the Choosing Day came around. but it had never happened and now the day was nearly here. **

** As Will said nothing, Horace sensed that he had scored a verbal hit. This was a rarity in their turbulent relationship. Over the past few years, he and Will had clashed repeatedly. Being the stronger of the two, Horace usually got the better of Will, although very occasionally Will's speed and agility allowed him to get in a surprise kick or a punch and then escape before Horace could catch him. **

** But while Horace generally had the best of their physical clashes, it was unusual for him to win any of their verbal encounters. Will's wit was as agile as the rest of him and he almost always managed to have the last word. In fact, it was this tendency that often led to trouble between them: Will was yet to learn that having the last word was not always a good idea. Horace decided now to press his advantage.**

** "You need real muscles to get into Battleschool, Will. Real muscles," he said, glancing at the other around the table to see if anyone disagreed. The other ward, uncomfortable at the growing tension between the two boys, concentrated on their plates. **

"Wait for it..." Jenny said

**"Particularly between the ears," Will replied and, unfortunately, jenny couldn't refrain from giggling.**

"Ha! Told you it would come!" She said to Gilan.

Gilan shook his head. "I thought Will wouldn't fight back."

**Horace's face flushed and he started to rise from his seat. But Will was quicker and he was already at the door before Horace could disentangle himself from his chair. He contended himself with a hurling final insult after his retreating wardmate.**

** "That's right! Run away, Will No-Name! You're a no-name and nobody will want you as an apprentice!"**

** In the anteroom, outside, Will heard the parting sally and felt blood rush to his cheeks. It was the taunt he hated the most, although he had tried never to let Horace know that, sensing that he would provide the bigger boy with a weapon if he did.**

** The truth was, nobody knew Will's second name. Nobody knew who his parent's had been. Unlike his yearmates, who had lived in the fief before their parents had died and whose family histories were knows, Will had appeared, virtually out of nowhere, wrapped in a small blanket and placed in a basket, on the steps of the ward building fifteen years ago. A note had been attached to the blanket, reading simply:**

_**His mother died in childbirth. His father died a hero.**_

_**Please care for him. His name is Will.**_

** That year had been only one other ward. Alyss's father was a cavalry lieutenant who had died in battle at Hachham Heath, when Morgarath's Wargal army had been defeated and driven back to the mountains. Alyss's mother, devastated by her loss, succumbed to a fever some weeks after giving birth. So there was plenty of room in the Ward for the unknown child, and Baron Arald was, at heart, a kindly man. Even though the circumstances were unusual, he had given permission for Will to be accepted as a ward of Castle Redmont. It seemed logical to assume that, if the note were true, Will's father had died in the war against Morgarath, and since Baron Arald had taken a leading part in that war, he felt duty bound to honor the unknown father's sacrifice.**

** "You are a really kind man." Jenny said. He smiled at her.**

** So Will had become a Redmont ward, raised and educated by the Baron's generosity. As time passed, the others had gradually joined him and Alyss until there were five in their year group. But, while the others had memories of their parents or, in Alyss's case, people who had known them an d who could tell her about them, Will knew nothing of his past.,**

** That was why he had invented the story that had sustained him throughout his childhood in the Ward. And, as the years passed and he added detail and color to the story, he eventually came to believe it himself.**

** His father, he knew, had died a hero's death. So it made sense to create a picture of him as a hero – a knight warrior in full armor, fighting against the Wargal hordes, cutting them down left and right until eventually he was overcome by sheer weight of numbers. Will had pictured the tall figure so often in his mind, seeing every detail of his armor and his equipment but never being able to visualize his face.**

** As a warrior, his father would expect him to follow in his footsteps. That was why selection foe Battleschool was so important to Will. And that was why the more unlikely it became that he would be selected, the more desperately he clung to the hope that he might.**

** He exited from the Ward building into the darkened castle yard. The sun was long and the torched placed every twenty meters or so the castle walls shed a flickering, uneven light. He hesitated a moment. He would not return to the Ward and face Horace's continued taunts. To do so would only leads to another fight between them – a fight that Will knew that he would probably lose. George would probably try to analyze the situation for him, looking at both sides of the question and thoroughly confusing the issue. Alyss and Jenny might try to comfort him, he knew – Alyss particularly since they had grown up together. But at the moment he did not want their sympathy and he could not face Horace's taunts, so he headed for the one place where he knew he could find solitude.**

"Poor Will. He just can't face my taunts." Horace said mockingly.

Will glared at him. "Be careful Horace. It would be such a shame if my hand just might slip during archery practice and you find an arrow sticking in your backside." Will said dangerously through gritted teeth.

Horace paled.

"Boys, you will do no such thing." Cassandra said.

Pauline continued to read.

**The huge fig tree growing close by the castle's central tower had often afforded him a haven. Heights held no fear for Will and he climbed smoothly into the tree, continuing long after another might have stopped, until he was in the lighter branches at the very top – branches that swayed and dipped under his weight. In the past, he had often escaped from Horace up here. The bigger boy could not match Will's speed in the tree and he was unwilling to follow as high as this. Will found a convenient fork and wedged himself I n it, his body giving slightly to the movement of the tree as the branches swayed in the evening breeze. Below, the foreshortened figures of the watch made their rounds of the castle yard.**

**He heard the door of the Ward building open and, glancing down, saw Alyss emerge, looking around the yard for him in vain. The tall girl hesitated a few minutes, then, seeming to shrug, turned back inside. The elongated rectangle of light that the open door threw across the yard was cut off as she closed the door softly behind her. Strange, he thought, how seldom people tend to look up. **

**There was a rustle of soft feathers and a barn owl landed on the next branch, its head swiveling, its huge eyes catching every last ray of the faint light. It studied him without concern, seeming to know it had nothing t fear from him. It was a hunter. A silent flyer. A ruler of the night.**

"**At least you know who you are," he said softly to the bird. It had swiveled again, then launched itself off into the darkness, leaving him alone with his thoughts.**

**Gradually, as he sat there, the lights in the castle windows went out, one by one. The torches burnt down to smoldering husks and were replaced at midnight by the change of watch. Eventually, there was only one light left burning and that, he knew, was in the Baron's study, where the Lord of Redmont was still presumably at work, poring over reports and papers. The study was virtually level with Will's position in the tree and he could see the burly figure of the Baron seated at his desk. Finally, the Baron rose, stretched, and leaned forward to extinguish the lamp as he left the room, heading for his sleeping quarters on the floor above. Now the castle was asleep, except for the guards on the walls, who kept constant watch.**

**In less than nine hours , Will realized, he would face the Choosing. Silently, miserably, fearing the worst, he climbed down from the tree and made his way to his bed in the darkened boys' dormitory in the Ward. **

"Well now that we have finished Chapter One and it is getting late, I suggest we eat dinner and then go to bed. Because, I am very hungry and wish to eat." Cassandra dais.

"Oooh, what's for dinner?" Horace asked her.

"Food," she replied.

"God Will that was so boring. I knew you were boring from the start, but that was seriously boring." Gilan joked. Will glared at him.

Halt nodded. " I know what you are going through. Don't worry, just wait until I am in the story, then everything will be very interesting."

"I'm sure honey, I'm sure," Pauline told him

Everybody headed for dinner.

_**I hope you liked it. Reviews are very much appreciated.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"We should read one more chapter before going to bed," Alyss suggested. Everybody agreed. "So who wants to read?"

"I'll read!" Cassandra said her hand shooting up immediately, "I want to know what else happens between these two." She glared at Will and Horace.

**"All right candidates! This way! And look lively!"**

"Like anyone can just look lively on the day there future is going to be decided" Will mumbled. Horace nodded grimly

** The speaker or more correctly the shouter was Martin secretary to Baron Arald As his voice echoed around the anteroom, the five wards rose uncertainly from the long wooden benches where they had been seated. Suddenly nervous now that the day had finally arrived, they began to shuffle forward, each one reluctant to be the first through the great ironbound door that Martin now held open for them.**

** "Come on, come on!" Martin bellowed impatiently**

"Good god! What is his problem? Can he not hold his horses?" Cassandra exclaimed. Baron Arald gave her a smile.

"Yes, he is an anxious one isn't he?" He said.

**Alyss finally elected to lead the way, as Will had guessed she would. The others followed the willowy blonde girl. Now that someone had decided to lead, the rest of them were content to follow.**

** Will looked around curiously as he entered the Barons study. He had never been in this part of the castle before. This tower, containing the administrative section and the Baron's private apartments, was seldom visited by those of low rank – such as castle wards. The room was huge. The ceiling seemed to tower above him and the walls were constructed of massive stone blocks, fitted together with only the barest lines of mortar between them. On the eastern wall was a huge window space – open to the elements but with massive wooden shutters that could be closed in the event of bad weather. It was the same window he had seen through last night, he realized. Today, sunlight streamed in and fell on the huge oak table that Baron Arald used as a desk.**

Will smiled as he remembered that day.

"I had that desk especially cut for me. It came all the way from Castle Araluen." Baron Arald boasted.

"**Come on now! Stand in line, stand in line!" Martin seemed to be enjoying his moment of authority. The group shuffled slowly into line and he studied them, his mouth twisted in disapproval.**

"God, that god is really annoying! I'm surprised nobody punched him yet!" Crowley exclaimed!

"Crowley! That is not nice!" Pauline scolded. Crowley hung his head in shame. Halt snickered at him. Crowley glared at him.

"**In size place! Taller this end!" He indicated the end where he wanted the tallest of the five to stand. Gradually, the group rearranged itself. Horace, of course, was the tallest. After him, Alyss took her position. Then George, half a head shorter than she and painfully thin. He stood in his usual stoop-shouldered posture. Will and Jenny hesitated.**

Horace snickered at Will. Will glared daggers at. If looks could kill, then Horace would have been dead for a while.

**Jenny smiled at Will and gestured for him to go before her, even though she was possibly an inch taller that he was. That was typical of Jenny. She knew how Will agonized over the fact that he was the smallest of all the castle wards. As Will moved into the line, Martin's voice stopped him.**

"**Not you! The girl's next."**

All the boys were laughing.

"It isn't nice you know. To laugh at people like that," Jenny said. "Gilan I seem to remember that you're afraid of spiders. Should I laugh at that?"

Gilan paled, but Jenny wasn't finished. "And Horace I remember when we went horseback riding for the first time everybody could get on the horses easily except for you. What about that."

Everybody laughed! Horace blushed.

**Jenny shrugged apologetically and moved into the place Martin had indicated. Will took the last place in the line, wishing Martin hadn't made his lack of height so apparent. **

"**Come on! Smarten up, smarten up! Let's see you at attention there," Martin continued, then broke off as a deep voice interrupted him.**

"**I don't believe that's totally necessary, Martin."**

"Finally we were saved!" Will exclaimed! Jenny giggled.

**It was Baron Arald, who had entered, unobserved, by way of a smaller door behind his massive desk. Now it was Martin who brought himself to what he considered to be a position of attention, with his skinny elbows held out at his sides, his heels forced together so that his unmistakably bowed legs were widely separated at his knees, and his head thrown back.**

Everybody snickered.

**Baron Arald raised his eyes to heaven. Sometimes his secretary's zeal on these occasions could be a little overwhelming. The baron was a big man, broad in shoulder and waist and heavily muscled, as was necessary for a knight of the realm. It was well known, however, that Baron Arald was fond of his food and drink, so his considerable bulk was not totally attribute to muscle.**

Baron Arald turned as red as a tomato. Everybody was trying to hold their laughter, unsuccessfully.

"Oh go on! Laugh!" Baron Arald huffed.

**He had a short, neatly trimmed black beard that, like his hair, was beginning to show traces of gray that went with his forty- two years.**

Baron Arald sighed. He was getting old.

**He had a strong jaw, a large nose and dark, piercing eyes under heavy brows. It was a powerful face, but not an unkind one, Will thought. There was a surprising hint of humor in those dark eyes. Will had noted it before, on the occasion when Arald had made his infrequent visits to the ward's quarters to see how their lessons and personal development were progressing **

"You were always kind, my lord." Alyss told him, smiling. The Baron smiled back.

"**Sir!" Martin said at top volume, causing the Baron to wince slightly. "The candidates are assembled!"**

"**I can see that," Baron Arald replied patiently. "Perhaps you might be good enough to ask the Craftmasters to step in as well?"**

"**Sir!" Martin responded, making an attempt to click his heels together. As he was wearing shoes of soft, pliable leather, the attempt was doomed to failure. He marched toward the main door of the study, all elbows and knees. Will was reminded of a rooster. As Martin laid his hand on the door handle, the Baron stopped him once more.**

"You have an unimaginable amount of patience keeping up with that man. If I were you, my dear Baron, I would have thrown him in a moat." Halt said quietly.

Pauline patted her husband's arm. "Yes dear, we all know what you would do."

"**Martin?" he said softly. As the secretary turned an inquiring look back at him, he continued in the same quite voice, "Ask them. Don't bellow at them. Craftmasters don't like that."**

"**Yes, sir," said Martin looking somewhat deflated. He opened the door and, making an obvious effort to speak in a lower voice, said, "Craftmasters. The Baron is ready now."**

**The Craftmasters heads entered the room in no particular order. As a group, they admired and respected one another and so rarely stood on strict ceremonial procedures. Sir Rodney, head of the Battleschool, came first. Tall and broad-shouldered like the Baron, he wrote the standered battledress of chain mail shirt under a white surcoat emblazoned with his own crest, a scarlet wolfs head. He had earned the crest as a young man, fighting the wolf ships of the Skandians sea raiders who constantly harried the kingdoms east coast.**

Rodney smiled at the memory. "That was something of a fight. I broke five ribs, my collarbone, and my left wrist and got cuts all over me. I'm quite glad that we are at an agreement with them." He smiled at Will. Will blushed.

**He wire a sword belt and sword, of course. No knight would be seen in public without one. He was around the Barons age, with blue eyes and a face that would have been remarkably handsome-**

Rodney smiled happily.

** If it weren't for the massive broken nose.**

He slumped back in his chair, frowning.

**He sported an enormous mustache but, unlike the Baron, he had no beard.**

** Next came Ulf, the Horsemaster, responsible for the care and training of the castle might battle horses. He had keen brown eyes, strong muscular forearms and heavy wrists. He wore a simple leather vest over his woolen shirt and leggings. Tall riding boots of soft leather reached up past his knees.**

** Lady Pauline followed Ulf. Lim, gray –haired and elegant, she had been considerable beauty in her youth and still had the grace and style to turn men's heads.**

Halt turned to her and smiled at her. She returned the smile and grabbed his hand.

**Lady Pauline, who had been awarded the title in her own right for her work 9in the foreign policy for the kingdom, was the head of the Diplomatic Service in Redmont. Baron Arald regarded her abilities highly and she was one of his close confidents and advisers. Arald had often said that girls made the best recruits of the Diplomatic Service. They tended to be more subtle than the boys, who gravitated naturally to Battleschool. And while boys constantly looked physical means as the way of solving problems, girls could be depended on to use their wits. **

Lady Pauline smiled. "Of course that true. You men would probably stab them with your swords or shoot them with arrows before even listening to the situati9on. Or along the way to deliver the message, you would have lost it somewhere. Aren't I right, my dear?" She smiled at Halt sweetly.

Halt's jaw fell. He didn't want to say no to his wife, but he wanted to stand up for himself as well. He sighed. At least if he agreed with her then she'll let him inside their apartment when they get home. Otherwise else, she would make him spend the night in a tree.

He looked uneasily at her. "Yes," he said, "Whatever you say is correct." She smiled at him.

Alyss spoke up. "Why don't we go sleep and tomorrow we'll finish the chapter. I'm tired."

They all agreed and made their way up too their guest bedrooms.


End file.
